The Hundred: Who is uncapped England batter Will Smeed?
Uncapped England batter Will Smeed slammed a record-breaking century for Birmingham Phoenix in the ongoing edition of The Hundred. The right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 101 as Phoenix beat Southern Brave by 53 runs. Smeed registered his maiden century in T20 cricket and also completed 1,400 runs in the format. Notably, it was the first-ever century of England's 100-ball tournament.
Phoenix racked up 176/4 off 100 balls after they were put in to bat. Smeed was the lone warrior in the innings. He smashed an unbeaten 101 off 50 balls, a knock laced with 8 fours and 6 sixes. He finished with a strike rate of 202.00. Later, the Southern Brave were bundled out for 123, with Henry Brookes taking a five-wicket haul.
Smeed broke the record of Liam Livingstone, who had smashed 92 runs off just 40 balls for Phoenix in the 2021 edition of The Hundred. The right-handed batter slammed 10 sixes and 3 fours in that innings.
Smeed made his T20 debut in September 2020 for Somerset against Worcestershire. In a career spanning nearly two years, the 20-year-old has smashed 1,400 runs from 49 T20s at an average of 31.81. The right-handed batter has struck at 146.29 so far. Smeed made his List A debut earlier this year for England Lions against the South Africans.
Smeed struck a valiant 82 off 49 balls in just his second professional match as an 18-year-old (against Gloucestershire in the 2020 Vitality Blast). As per ESPNcricinfo, Smeed, as a 16-year-old, scored hundreds with former England batter Marcus Trescothick in the same 2nd XI innings.
